What They Did on Their Thanksgiving Vacation
by quack675
Summary: Chase meets Cameron's family... and Elvis Presley?
1. I Can't Help Falling in Love with You

_Why am I posting a "Thanksgiving" story a few days before Christmas? The completely Chase & Cameron-free episode of House that aired the week of Thanksgiving, aside from annoying me greatly, also inspired me to make up a reason why they were absent. So, I present to you… _What They Did on Their Thanksgiving Vacation

_This is not in the _Silenced_ universe! For those of you ready to shoot me for not updating that in a while, I'm getting back to it ASAP. I hope you'll enjoy a very different kind of story than what I usually write. This is about as close to fluff as I can get! _

Disclaimer: House, M.D. is the property of David Shore, Universal, etc. No profit gained. No profit sought.

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOX

Chase and Cameron stood at the baggage carousel, waiting with about seventy-five other passengers for their luggage to make its way to them.

The flight from Newark to St. Louis had been delayed for "heavy traffic" so they had sat on the runway at Liberty for over an hour. Chase, who had the window seat, had been staring at the Empire State Building which was visible in the New York City skyline, and it reminded him that even though he had been in New Jersey nearly five years, he had never bothered with the touristy things of Manhattan. When he commented on that fact to Cameron she said that she understood because, despite living near St. Louis, she had never bothered to go inside the Arch.

Cameron looked at her watch impatiently now, something she had been doing with more frequency since they had touched down in St. Louis. Her parents were probably circling the airport in their car waiting for her and Chase to come outside.

"It's okay," Chase told her. "You told them we were running late. I guess it's to be expected. Isn't this the busiest week for air travel?"

"That's what I hear," Cameron said, finding it easy to believe. She had never seen the airports as crowded as they had been today. "You were right. We shouldn't have checked any bags," she grumbled.

"But then you wouldn't have sixteen different outfits," Chase reminded her. He had planned to bring a small bag that could be carried on the plane, but Cameron had insisted he take a larger one because she was certain she would go shopping and need some extra luggage space on the way back to Jersey. Her own bag was filled to the point that the zipper had barely closed.

She swatted his arm playfully. His patience with the situation was almost annoying. But he was used to exceptionally long flights, so even sitting on the runway for an hour had not phased him. "We've got a week off, Chase. I'm going to need clothes!"

"Not if I have anything to say about it," he deadpanned, keeping an eye on the bags that were starting to move toward them.

"Look, there they are!" Cameron pointed to two suitcases that had just come under a rubber flap above the conveyer belt. Even though both were basic black, they were easy to spy because Cameron had insisted on tying purple and white polka dotted ribbon on the handles. "Finally!"

"That was a good idea," he acknowledged, seeing the ribbons. It did make finding their luggage in a sea of look-alikes much easier. He leaned forward and grabbed one bag, quickly set it down and then grabbed the other. "Did you sneak Foreman into this thing?" he asked, pulling the heavier bag toward him.

"The weight limit is fifty pounds," she reminded him, grabbing the handle of his bag to push it along. He had insisted on handling her bag as they checked in at Newark since it was nearly as heavy as she was.

"One more shoe and this one would have been over the limit," he commented, following her toward the electronic glass doors that would lead them out of the airport. The doors slid open to let them pass and they walked into a covered area where shuttles and cabs were waiting.

Cameron already had her cell phone at her ear. "We're out!" she announced cheerfully. "You can come get us!"

"So, are they just driving around the airport?" Chase asked. He pulled his jacket more tightly to his chest. It was not nearly as cold in St. Louis as it was in New Jersey, but the wind was blowing, putting a distinct chill in the air.

"I think so. They didn't want to park because then they'd have to pay a ridiculous parking fee, even if they only sat there for three minutes."

Chase suddenly realized he was nervous. This was his first time to meet a girlfriend's parents. None of his previous relationships had made it to this stage.

Soon a champagne colored Expedition pulled up to the curb and parked. Cameron nearly squealed as a woman bearing a strong resemblance to her got out of the passenger side. She was in her late fifties and slender. Her hair was still dark and fell in waves just to her shoulders. Cameron hugged her mother tightly, then turned to her father who had come around the SUV to greet his daughter. He was a good bit taller than both women and also had a slender build with gray hair, glasses, and tanned skin.

"Allison!" Her mother exclaimed, hugging her again. "It's been too long."

Cameron pulled away, but kept her mother's hand in her own. "Mama, this is my boyfriend, Chase," she said, leading her mother to the place where Chase was waiting and watching the family reunion. She turned back and called, "Daddy, come meet Chase," but it was unnecessary since he was already following.

"Hi," Chase said. For some reason the word sounded very stupid to him. _Hi, _he repeated to himself. _What an idiotic way to greet someone. Hi. _He shook the hand that Cameron's mother offered, thinking of the etiquette lesson where he had been told that a man was never initiate a handshake with a woman. "It's nice to meet you."

"Ellen Parker," she said, firmly gripping his hand.

"David," her father said, moving in to shake Chase's hand next.

"Nice to meet you," Chase knew he was being scrutinized by the parents. Both looked him up and down, but neither scowled, at least. He changed his mind about Cameron needing clothes on this trip. There was no way he would even consider having sex in the same house with these people.

"Let me help you with these bags," David offered. He and Chase pulled them to the back of the SUV.

"I'll get them," Chase insisted, first lifting his own bag that Cameron's father had taken over pushing.

He placed it in the back of the truck at Ellen's direction.

"Son, what do you have in here?" David asked.

Much to Chase's chagrin, David had lifted Cameron's fifty pound suitcase under the impression that it was his.

"Hair products," Cameron answered quickly.

Her father's smile disappeared for a moment, but he obviously wanted to keep his friendly appearance, so it came back.

Chase looked at Cameron with his patented, _Why did you say that? _panicked expression and she burst into giggles.

"That one's mine, Daddy," she said. "Chase was just sweet enough to handle it because it's so heavy."

David chuckled at the laugh her daughter had gotten at the nervous young man's expense. "Then, my darling, I'll ask you, what in the world have you got in here?" He shoved the bag to its place next to the lighter one.

"Shoes," Chase and Cameron said in unison.

"That's my girl," Ellen laughed as David shut the rear door of the truck.

Cameron and Chase crawled into the backseat while her parents returned to the front. It took about an hour to get from the airport to the Parker's home in a small-town neighborhood dubbed Hidden Hills. Ellen had monopolized the conversation, which was a relief to Chase, as she informed her daughter of all the activities of an extensive cast of characters. Chase deduced that the list included Cameron's brother and sister, aunts, uncles, cousins, and her mother's friends and their children.

"So, Meggie insisted on making the turkey for tomorrow," Ellen was saying as they pulled into the driveway. "Lord knows your sister isn't a very good cook, so I'm going overboard with casseroles and Tina promised to bring some vegetables and I think your aunt Ursula said she would bring a ham. At least Megan will only ruin one dish this way," she sighed.

Chase was surprised when David parked in the driveway instead of opening the garage, but he did not question it. They unloaded the truck and the men carried the bags into the home.

Chase was immediately taken with the display home quality of the house. A plush beige carpet sprawled out before them. The walls in the living area had a swirling design with just a hint of beige within the flecks of vibrant maroon and deep green. The sofa and loveseat were deep green while two recliners matched the maroon color in the wall almost perfectly. A large screen television was embedded between a bookcase and entertainment center that was built into the wall. The shelves were lined with hardback books and photos of the Parkers' family. Several current magazines were lying in a fan shape on a glass-top coffee table that had matching end tables on either side of the sofa.

"Make yourself at home," David said to his guests, but the impeccably tidy appearance of the house contradicted the invitation.

Chase followed suit as everyone else took their shoes off and left them by the door. That explained why there was nary a smudge on the carpet.

"I made an extra casserole for our supper tonight," Ellen said to her guests. "And I might allow slicing the sweet potato pie if you twist my arm hard enough," she smiled.

"My favorite pie!" Cameron exclaimed. "I bet you've never had it," she said to Chase, seeing the confused look on his face.

"No, I haven't," he answered.

Ellen looked scandalized. "You've never had it?" she asked.

"I've never even heard of it," he admitted.

"Well, that settles it. We're having pie. Ally, want to help me in the kitchen and give your father and Chase a chance to talk?"

"Sure," Cameron said, giving Chase a sympathetic look before following her mother.

"I think the game is on," David said, encouraging Chase to follow him into the living room. David sat in the one recliner that actually looked used and Chase took one corner of the sofa.

Chase was discouraged when David did not reach for the remote control within arm's reach on the end table. It would be hard to watch the game, whatever game he meant, if they did not turn on the television. Right now he felt less secure in his interview skills than he did in his almost nonexistent knowledge of American football. _Or is it baseball season? _he wondered.

David leaned back in the recliner, elevating his feet, and clasp his hands together in his lap, "So, tell me about yourself."

Chase thought about it for a moment, but not too long. He did not want David to think he had something to hide. "I'm from Melbourne, studied at the Melbourne Royal Medical Centre, have a background in surgery and critical care and spent four years in the diagnostics fellowship with House which is where I met Cameron."

David frowned just a bit and Chase wondered what he had done wrong. _I sounded pompous. I don't have a life outside the hospital. What else is there to talk about? _At the moment he wished he had some kind of hobby he could discuss.

"You two aren't on a first name basis yet?"

Chase cocked his head to the side, confused for just a second. Then he laughed, "I guess not. _Cameron_ fits."

"Am I correct in assuming that _Chase_ is actually your last name, then?"

"Yes, sir." Chase nodded. He waited a moment before adding, "Oh, _Robert_. My first name is _Robert_."

"I take it you prefer to be called _Chase_?"

"I suppose I do," he answered, wondering exactly when it was that his given name had begun to sound foreign on his own lips.

"So, three specialties already. Bit of an overachiever?"

Chase was not sure how to respond without sounding arrogant. "I just started early," he offered, thinking it was the most humble answer.

"Oh?" David asked, obviously fishing for more detail.

"Skipped a couple of years, took AP courses, and in Oz, we can start medical school just out of secondary school if you get on the right track ahead of time."

"Ally always did go for the brainy type," David smiled, nodding like he approved.

"Really?" Chase responded, a tiny bit of glee coming through his response.

"Oh, yes. She couldn't stand the jocks at all. She wasn't really into the cool crowd, I guess."

"Lucky for me," Chase smiled.

"Come on now, a handsome fellow like yourself? I bet you had plenty of girls after you."

Chase gave half a laugh, shaking his head. "No, I was younger than the girls in my year, liked math and science, and read too much. Science fiction at that," he shuddered, imagining his fifteen year old shy self, nose stuck in a book. "I was tragically uncool," he said solemnly.

David laughed. Just as he started to say something else, Cameron called them to the dining room.

The four of them sat down at the long oval table. The two couples sat facing each other, rather than anyone using the space at the ends of the table.

Ellen had prepared a poppy seed chicken casserole for their supper. She served it with green beans and warm rolls.

"This is my favorite!" Cameron exclaimed after taking her first bite.

"It's really good," Chase commented. "We should get the recipe." He loved the enthusiastic response Cameron had to her mother's cooking. He was certain that if Ellen had served them canned chicken noodle soup Cameron would have declared that it was her favorite.

Ellen beamed, "I'll write it down for you."

"Chase was just telling me about his background," David told his wife, clearly wanting to get back to the subject of the man dating his daughter. "Surgery, critical care, and diagnostics."

"Oh, my," Ellen sounded impressed. "You'd certainly be nice to have around in a medical crisis."

Chase laughed nervously, unsure of how to respond.

"He's great under pressure," Cameron gushed.

"You are too," Chase countered.

"So, Chase, what do your parents do? Do you get back to Australia to visit them often?"

"Daddy!" Cameron managed to scold her father with the word.

Seeing Chase's expression fall, David realized he must have hit a sore spot. For a moment that felt like much longer, no one said anything.

"They're dead," Chase answered.

"I'm sorry," David said, embarrassed that he had said something so insensitive despite not knowing that it was insensitive.

"You didn't know," Chase hoped to assure him that he was not offended even if he had been caught off guard. "If I had a daughter and she had a boyfriend, I'd ask about his parents. It's the polite thing to do."

"I'm sorry. I should have told them," Cameron said, embarrassed that she had not warned her parents to not ask about Chase's family.

"It's okay," Chase kept his eyes on his plate, begging God above that they would not ask how his mother had died. Cameron still did not know anything about her beyond the fact that she had died young and he did not want to talk about it. Cameron had once broached the subject of his mother during their pre-relationship arrangement and he had struck down the topic by reminding her that she did not have pretend to be interested. At the time he knew she was curious, but did not really care. So, he kept his guard high, rather than making himself even more vulnerable when he knew he was falling for her.

"Do you have any brothers or sisters?" Ellen asked tentatively.

"No, it's just me," Chase answered, quickly losing his appetite. He took the initiative to change the subject. "Cameron told me you were both retired. What did you do before?"

"I was the Dean of the History department at Midwestern Bible University in St. Louis," David answered, glad to move on from what appeared to be a sad subject for his guest. "Ellen was a florist."

"Really?" Chase answered, intrigued. Cameron claimed to be an atheist, so he had assumed her family held similar beliefs. "Did you enjoy teaching there?"

"Very much so," David said enthusiastically. "It was a small campus and a wonderful environment."

"What was it like teaching at a religious school?" Chase asked, getting closer to his true question.

David seemed to understand where Chase was leading and, instead of answering the question presented, leapt right to, "I'm not an atheist like my daughter."

"Dad!" Cameron barked. "Should we get into the war in Iraq next?" she alluded to the rule to never discuss politics or religion among polite company.

Ignoring her, David asked, "So, what about you?"

"I want to believe."

"Then what's stopping you?"

"Went to seminary school," Chase answered.

Cameron felt her heart skip a beat. Chase had never discussed that time of his life with her. For a moment, she was glad the conversation had taken this turn.

"That weakened your faith?" David asked.

Chase nodded. "There's a lot of corruption. I didn't want to be part of it. I was very naïve. I went in thinking everyone was there to honor and serve Him." His voice was low. "They weren't."

Cameron's attention was captured. Chase's manner told her that he was revealing more than he had probably ever shared about the subject to anyone else.

"Well, that's silly," David announced, stunning his daughter. That kind of reaction would not inspire anyone to reveal their private thoughts. "You don't judge God by the fallible people and institutions of earth."

Chase considered the statement as David continued.

"If you want to believe, then believe. If the only thing stopping you is doubt, then get a new perspective."

"I do believe God exists. I'm just not sure if He's concerned with the everyday workings of you and me."

David nodded. "That's where faith comes in."

"Where do you find that?"

"Look around," David answered.

Cameron rolled her eyes, not wanting to get into a conversation she had had with her father a dozen times through the years. Where she saw science, her father saw deity. "Anyone want pie?" she interrupted, seeing that everyone had finished their meal.

"I'd love some," Ellen answered quickly, as though she sensed a storm brewing.

Cameron and her mother went into the kitchen, each carrying two dinner plates and sets of utensils which Cameron rinsed and put in the dishwasher.

"Can you please get Dad to stop talking about God?" Cameron asked her mother, irritated.

"To be fair, your boyfriend led him down that path," Ellen responded, pulling the pie from the covered dish on the counter.

"Apparently neither one of them knows that you don't discuss religion over dinner," Cameron huffed.

Ellen could not help but laugh at her daughter's irritation as she cut into the pie.

"What?" Cameron asked, arms crossed as she leaned against the sink, watching her mother scoop the pie from the dish and place the slices on the saucers.

"I never thought you'd bring home a religious boy."

"He doesn't bother me with that stuff," she explained.

"Interesting," Ellen nodded. "For it to not be something he bothers you with, it seems like a big part of what shaped him into who he is. What else don't you know about him?"

"Oh, Mama!" Cameron exhaled, more exasperated than before they had left the table. "I knew he went to seminary. I also knew he gave it up and became a doctor. So maybe he prays every once in a while. He doesn't try to drag me to church on Sunday mornings, so I can live with a little bit of theological difference."

"What's the deal with his parents?" she quizzed.

"They're… dead." Cameron answered, knowing she did not have much to add to that fact.

"How'd they die?"

"His father died from cancer about two years ago--didn't tell Chase he was dying."

"That seems," she searched for the right word. "Cruel."

"Yeah," Cameron agreed. "It really hurt him." Of course, Chase never talked about how it had hurt him; but she knew that the fallout was not the only thing that had left Chase scarred.

"What about his mom?"

"She died when he was in his last year of high school. That's all I know."

"Cancer too?" Ellen asked.

"I honestly don't know. He refuses to talk about her."

"Doesn't it bother you to be with someone who won't share so many things about his life?"

"It's just the way he is, Ma."

"Funny that he's opening up to your father."

"Why do you say that?"

"I'm just thinking. Maybe he'd be more open with you if you let him know it matters."

"It's not that I've never asked," Cameron told her. "It's just that I asked before we were _together_ and he wouldn't talk about it then, so I haven't tried again."

"Oh," Ellen nodded.

"What's that supposed to mean," Cameron asked, offended by the tone of her mother's voice.

"You butted in," Ellen accused.

"I did not!" Cameron's protest was short-lived. "Okay, maybe I did," she admitted. She plundered through the refrigerator until she found a can of whipped cream.

"Try again," Ellen encouraged softly, placing the four slices of pie on a tray to carry them to the table.

"Sure. That'll be easy," Cameron muttered, following her mother with the cold can in her hand and letting her mind wander to more creative uses for the contents.


	2. Love Me Tender

"Come on," Cameron whispered, leading Chase through the house to the kitchen.

"Shhh!"

"You really want another piece of pie at this hour?" Chase asked as Cameron rummaged through a drawer to find a knife. It was after eleven.

"Uh-huh," she answered, giggling. "But we have to leave enough for breakfast."

Even though she was wearing pink flannel pajamas covered with red hearts and brown monkeys, Chase had never found her more attractive. She was so relaxed and happy that he would have sworn she was actually glowing. "We're having _pie_ for breakfast?"

"Yep. We'll have pie for breakfast and watch the parade, then help Mama get everything ready and then the family will start arriving around 11:00 and you'll get to meet my crazy relatives and I'll get to show you off to all my cousins who are going to be so jealous because I have a guy with a hot body, an accent, and a brain!"

"In that order?" Chase asked.

"That's the order they'll notice," Cameron told him.

Chase opened the refrigerator choosing not to respond to the idea of being shown off to her cousins. He supposed that if he had a family, he would be proud of having Cameron with him so he should take it as a compliment that she was proud of having him with her.

"You want whipped cream?" he asked, searching for the can.

"Don't get any ideas!" Cameron warned as he retrieved the topping.

"Me? Never!" Chase closed the refrigerator, noticing that it was packed with covered dishes.

"You don't want a piece?" Cameron asked, placing a small slice of pie on a paper napkin.

"No," he answered. "I couldn't eat another bite." He saw that a couple of crock pots were plugged in and set to cook on low overnight. Curiosity got the best of him, so he decided to peak at the contents. "Barbequed something," he announced. He lifted the next lid and was truly taken aback by the contents. There was a sealed metal can in a couple of inches of water. "Um," he looked again just to make sure, "It's a can."

Cameron laughed at the perplexed expression on Chase's face. It reminded her of when they had a particularly difficult case and had exhausted most of the possible answers. "It's going to be a pie."

"Seriously?"

"It's sweetened condensed milk. Leave it in there long enough and it turns to caramel."

Chase shook his head, imaging opening the can to find it filled with caramel. "Who comes up with these things?"

"I don't know," Cameron shrugged, piling whipped cream on her pie. She picked it up and took a bite, then held the wedge out to offer Chase some.

Chase laughed, relishing the moment. "You're amazing."

"What?" Cameron asked.

"You--with your little pink monkeys and potato pie. Your hair is a mess and you have a whipped cream moustache, but you take my breath away. You're smiling like you've never been this happy before. I love it," he said. Then it hit him what he had said and what he really meant. "I… love… _you_."

And he immediately wished he had not said it. There was a reason he was normally a man of few words. If he got going, he inevitably said too much. The last time he had pushed for their relationship to go deeper, she had ended it. Even though she had changed her mind and even though she had invited him to meet her family, he had never been quite brave enough to try to make things more serious. Her expression had not really changed and he did not know how to take it. "I'm sorry," he said, turning away from her. "I ruined--"

His words were cut off as Cameron embraced him, leaving her pie forgotten on the countertop. "I love you too," she told him, hating herself for making him so apprehensive about showing his feelings.

Chase pulled away so that he could study her face, keeping his arms loosely around her.

"You love me?" he asked.

Cameron could detect the awe in his voice as he questioned her. "I do," she whispered. "You're right. I've never been this happy before."

Chase looked down at her face, her deep blue eyes, the curves of her nose and mouth. Those lips were more inviting than ever before and he leaned closer to kiss her softly. She still had the taste of nutmeg on her lips.

She broke their kiss and whispered, "Make love to me, Chase."

"We'll wake your parents," he protested.

"We can be quiet," she offered.

"No we can't," Chase teased. "At least you can't," he whispered close to her ear.

"I can be quiet," Cameron told him emphatically, taking his hand and leading him back to the bedroom.

y y y y y y y y y y y y y y y y y

Later, they were lying entwined, Chase on his back, Cameron on her side, one leg draped over his while she rested her head on his chest. He lazily let his fingers dance across her shoulder.

"I do love you," Cameron told him, feeling peacefully content. These arms were exactly where she wanted to stay for the rest of her life. They had truly made love, leisurely enjoying each other's bodies before coming together with an intensity they had not experienced before. Cameron decided they should be quiet more often.

"Thank you," Chase said.

"You're welcome," Cameron grinned, assuming he was talking about the sex.

"For loving me."

Something in his voice tugged at her heart and she propped herself up to get a better look at his face and his expressive eyes.

"You don't have to thank me for loving you," she assured him.

"You're the fir--" he started, but stopped, looking away.

Cameron frowned, seeing the brightness of his eyes. "I'm not the first person to love you. I can't be."

Chase just nodded and swallowed.

Cameron felt tears spring to her eyes, "Why do you feel so unlovable?"

He only shook his head slightly.

"Chase, please talk to me."

"You're the best thing that's ever happened to me," he told her, reaching up to caress her cheek. "That's all."

"Chase, please tell me about your family," she asked. Only a family could leave someone this insecure.

Chase could tell she was earnest in her plea, but nothing could make the subject of his parents easier to discuss.

Cameron took Chase's hesitation as a refusal. She pulled away, sat up, and wrapped the sheets around her, leaving her bare shoulders exposed. "Don't tell me you love me when you don't trust me," she snapped, tears coming to her eyes. "You can't love me and keep secrets from me too."

Any consideration Chase had given to talking about his family died when Cameron spoke. "It's not always about _you_," he huffed, rolling onto his side to face the wall instead of her.

y y y y y y y y y y y y y y y y y

_AN: The next part is a lot longer. Comments appreciated! Merry Christmas to everyone celebrating today!_


	3. All Shook Up

XOXOXOXOXOX

Chase and Cameron were both tired when they made their way to the kitchen a little before eight the next morning. Chase had barely slept and had taken a shower early, then laid back down to try to nap since the shower had relaxed him a bit. Though he had been quiet and left the lights off, Cameron had noticed his moving about the room and heard him unzipping his suitcase when he went fishing for clean underwear and some toiletries. She had also decided to shower while Chase slept again, or pretended to sleep, at least. When she came out of the bathroom, he was fully dressed and reading the small Bible that she had no idea he had brought along. It struck her somehow as a personal insult.

"Morning," she muttered.

"Yeah," Chase responded, turning a page.

She had the urge to snatch the book away from him and throw it across the room. She was certain that he had turned the page, not because he had reached the end of it, but because he was trying to make himself appear more absorbed in what he was reading than the conversation she was attempting to start.

"Hungry?" she asked.

Chase set the Bible down on the nightstand. "Sure." Satisfied that she was not going to try to resume their nighttime conversation, he stood and followed her to the kitchen.

Ellen was already there. A graham cracker pie shell lay on the counter and the can that had been in the crock pot was whirring around the can opener.

Chase watched as Ellen poured rich creamy caramel into the pie shell. "Unbelievable," he commented, watching her smooth the filling with a knife.

"Neat trick, isn't it?" Ellen asked, her eyes sparkling. "If you tell anyone that I did not stand at the stove stirring that for hours, I'll hurt you," she warned playfully.

"Your secret is safe," Chase agreed.

Ellen folded the aluminum pie plate's edges over the plastic lid and transferred the pie to the refrigerator which was almost empty now. She had put most of the covered dishes in the oven to warm slowly before other guests started arriving with dishes that might also need to be reheated. "Who left half a piece of my potato pie out last night?" she asked.

"Oh, sorry, Mama," Cameron apologized as she sliced herself another piece for breakfast. "I guess I got distracted." She turned to Chase, "Want some?" She stared down at the pie she had just cut and it made her heart hurt, reminding her that Chase had said he loved her and now they were fighting in their perfectly civil way.

"I'll just have coffee," Chase said, noticing a nearly full pot. "Have to save room for lunch, right?"

Cameron held back tears. It should not have hurt her that Chase did not want to share her pie, but her grand plan included pie for breakfast while they watched the parade and he was ruining it. She looked down at the pastry, biting her lip.

Somehow Chase seemed to pick up on her hurt feelings, "Well, maybe a couple of bites won't hurt," he said, taking two mugs out of the cabinet above the coffeemaker. "You want coffee or hot chocolate?" he asked.

Cameron looked over at him, making himself at home in her parent's house, and smiled. "Coffee's good."

He looked confused for just a moment, "Where's the sugar?"

"Largest canister," Ellen pointed to three porcelain containers in descending sizes. "And the spoons are in the drawer to the left of the sink."

"Thanks," Chase said, taking a spoon from the drawer and then adding mounds of sugar to both cups of coffee. He opened the refrigerator and saw some vanilla flavored creamer on the dairy shelf and added generous amounts of that to both cups as well, stirred them, then rinsed the spoon and put it in the dishwasher. "When does the parade start?" he asked Cameron.

"About ten minutes ago," she answered. "Mama, do you need any help?"

"Have I ever kept you from watching the Macy's parade?" Ellen asked her.

Cameron smiled and hugged her mother, "Come on, Chase."

They settled onto the couch, placing their coffee on the table in front of them. Cameron and Chase alternated taking bites of the pie until it was gone, then Cameron pulled her legs onto the couch and settled into Chase's arms as they watched the humongous balloons wind their way down the streets of New York City. Soon, David joined them, returning to his recliner. Even Ellen took a break from what she was doing in the kitchen to watch for a while.

"Have you ever been to the parade?" Chase asked his girlfriend, enjoying the way she appreciated the spectacle.

"No. Have you?" she asked.

"I always worked ICU or NICU on Thanksgiving and Christmas," he told her.

"Oh," she said, sounding sad for him. Of course Chase would have worked holidays so other doctors could spend time with their families. "That was sweet of you."

Chase smiled, "Yeah, I think there are some colleagues mad at me for not volunteering to work the holidays this year."

"They'll get over it. I intend on kidnapping you for Christmas too."

"Oh, yes, that would be wonderful! You can come back here!" Ellen gushed, excited by the prospect of seeing her long-absent daughter twice in one year.

"Maybe we will," Cameron smiled, never taking her eyes off Chase.

y y y y y y y y y y y y y y y y

The parade had ended and football had started when the first guests began to arrive at the Parkers' front door. Chase soon felt a new kind of pressure as Cameron's relatives started filing into the living room, greeting each other, introducing themselves to him, and inquiring about the state of the football game. He tried focusing on each new face as introductions were made and even made some connections like _Steve wears glasses _to try to remember who each person was, but it was a bit overwhelming.

Chase wandered into the kitchen to ask if he could help, only to be introduced to six new females, then shooed back into the living room to watch the game. He was certain he had heard one of Cameron's cousins utter the word, "Wow" as he walked away. Then a chorus of giggles had erupted and he had decided to steer clear of the Parker women.

"Favre is one of the best, don't you think?" David asked, looking specifically to Chase.

"Sure," Chase agreed, having no idea exactly who Favre was or what position he played. After a few plays, he had figured out David was rooting for Green Bay, but he had no knowledge of either team that was playing.

"Who's your team?" David inquired when a commercial started.

"I don't watch often enough to have a team," Chase admitted. The truth was the only time he had seen football games was when the other doctors were controlling the television set in the lounge, but he had learned that the Giants were the favored team around PPTH.

If Chase's limited knowledge of football was a disappointment to David, he did not let it show.

"What do you do on Sundays?" the one name Steve inquired.

"Sleep if I have the day off," Chase answered with a forced laugh.

Another guest arrived, a young man who had sandy brown hair and brown eyes. He greeted David with "Hi, Dad."

Chase would have thought this was Cameron's brother Darren, but he was too young.

"Nick, this is Ally's boyfriend, Chase." David said.

"Nice to meet you," Chase said, offering his hand.

"You British?" Nick asked, shaking his hand roughly.

Chase reminded himself that Nick was Cameron's brother-in-law, Meggie's husband. He looked to be in his mid-twenties and had sandy brown hair and brown eyes.

"Australian," Chase answered.

"Ever tackled a crocodile?"

Chase kept his expression neutral despite the urge to roll his eyes at the stereotype. "Never had the opportunity. But I'm going to vacation in the Everglades next summer to try my hand with an alligator," he smiled brightly, masking his sarcasm.

Nick laughed heartily at this and slapped Chase's shoulder a bit too hard.

"So, what kind of doctor are you?" another man asked. It seemed conversation was welcome so long as Green Bay were not in the middle of a play. Chase had already forgotten this man's name. He was an uncle or something.

"I'm in surgery for the time being," he answered.

"Head of surgery," David bragged. "And he's got about fifteen other specialties."

"Really?" the uncle asked curiously. "What all do you do?"

"Intensive care, diagnostics, and surgery," Chase answered. Though he knew Cameron's family were being friendly, he was starting to feel like a show dog.

"I have this spot on my leg," the uncle started.

"Herman, he's our guest," David groaned.

"At least save it until _after_ dinner," someone named Paul added. Chase thought Paul looked enough like Herman that they could be brothers, though neither looked enough like David or Ellen to decide which side of the family would claim them.

Meanwhile, Cameron was with several women in the kitchen. Her sister Megan had arrived with a huge stainless steel roasting pan that held a turkey that was at least fifteen pounds.

They squealed with delight as they greeted each other, then attempted to transfer the bird from the pan to a tray where it could be carved. Eventually Ellen and her sister Ursula had pushed the girls out of the way to take care of the turkey themselves.

"I'm never going to learn if you don't let me try," Meggie complained.

"I'm just trying to get things done," Ellen said. "We'll have a houseful of people in no time. Your brother has gone to get your grandparents and they'll be here any minute."

"Fine," Meggie sighed. "I made place cards. Ally, help me set them up!"

"Place cards?" Cameron asked, thinking that was entirely too formal for a pot-luck family gathering.

"Yes! They're so pretty. I've been taking a calligraphy class."

"Fantastic," Cameron said, less than enthusiastic. Meggie was one of the girls House had thought Cameron could have been. She was incredibly pretty and only went to college to meet and marry a man with money. She had a useless degree in liberal arts and had never worked a day in her life. Instead, she played the part of a Stepford wife to her husband who was on his way to becoming a hotshot lawyer in the district attorney's office. Nick had his sights set on becoming governor one day, maybe even President.

Meggie reached into a cloth bag embroidered with her initials and pulled out a place setting. It was brown with thick gold letters that spelled out "Ursula" with a small acorn drawn next to the name.

"Are you sure you know everyone who was coming?" Cameron asked, worried that there may not be a card for Chase.

"Of course. I got the list from Mama." She led Cameron into the garage. It had been closed off specifically to accommodate the six folding tables that had been moved in along with dozens of chairs. Since the Parker's house was too small to host such a large group, they had made room in the garage which was comfortably warm thanks to two ceramic heaters.

"Any method to the madness?" Cameron asked as she started laying out the name cards, noticing that each one had either an acorn, a leaf, or a turkey drawn next to the name. She wondered if the designs had any specific meaning.

"Just keep the families together," Meggie instructed. "Shouldn't we get the china?" she asked, seeing that the tables were bare aside from salt and pepper shakers.

"China?" Cameron repeated. "We're using Styrofoam plates and plastic cups."

"Well, that's tacky," Meggie commented, rolling her eyes.

"Says who?" Cameron asked defensively.

"No one uses Styrofoam for a nice dinner."

"This isn't a nice dinner, it's a lunch for fifty. And unless you're going to stand at the sink washing fifty plates, stop complaining. Mama doesn't even have fifty plates, anyway," she added as an afterthought.

"I guess you're right," Meggie sighed. "Oh, look, here you are and here's one for that hot new man you told me about." She placed the cards that said _Allison_ and _Chase_ on a table.

"I hope you brought an extra place card," Cameron said, noting both she and Chase had leaves by their names. There was no clear pattern emerging for the designs.

"Why?" Meggie smiled, admiring her own handiwork.

"Because, his name is Robert."

"What?" Meggie asked, confused.

"His name is Robert. You might as well have written _Simpson_ for Nick's place."

Meggie looked dumbstruck for a moment. "But, you've never called him _Robert_. Ever. I had no idea his name is Robert! Mama even wrote _Chase_ on the list!"

"I don't call him _Robert_. No one does. But it looks stupid to have my first name and his last name." Cameron pointed to the two cards.

"What is stupid is calling your boyfriend by his last name!" Meggie argued.

"Well, he calls me _Cameron_!" she said testily. "So you either need to make a card that says _Robert_ or one that says _Cameron_!"

"Why in the world would you want to be known as _Cameron_? You and Michael were only married--"

"It's my legal and professional name, Megan." Cameron snapped coolly. The subject of her deceased husband was obviously not welcomed.

"You're not at work, Allison. Letting Robert call you _Cameron_ here is just silly."

"No, it's silly to have name cards at Thanksgiving dinner!"

"Excuse me?" Meggie squawked. "I'm just trying to make things look nice." Her nose started to turn red and Cameron knew her sister was about to start crying.

"What is going on out here?" Ellen asked, opening the door to the garage. "I can hear the two of you inside!"

"No one told me his name was Robert!" Meggie sniffed, still holding a place card for her cousin Amy.

"Oh, don't you start crying," Ellen admonished. "If it makes you feel better I don't think he'd even look up if you bellowed _Robert_ at the top of your lungs. _Chase_ is fine."

"But mine says _Allison_," Cameron whined.

"Because that's what we named you."

Cameron almost rolled her eyes, but stopped herself from being so disrespectful toward her mother.

"Honestly, I don't know him very well, but I don't think he's going to be upset if he has a little name card that says _Chase_ instead of _Robert_. Now apologize to your sister," Ellen told her eldest daughter. "She worked very hard on those."

"What?" Cameron squeaked, looking from her mother to her sister, mouth agape. _Meggie worked hard? _That statement was a paradox if there had ever been one.

Meggie met her sister's eyes smugly.

"Sorry I hurt your poor little feelings," Cameron spat. "Brat." She did not wait for a response, but stormed out of the garage, through the kitchen and into the living room where she found Chase sitting with her cousin Steve and his wife Laura while their two year old son Gage toddled about the room investigating anything within arm's reach. "Any room for me?" she asked.

"Always," Chase told her, scooting closer to the edge of the couch so she could squeeze in beside Laura.

"Ally, where you'd find this catch?" a girl in her mid-twenties asked.

"We work together," Cameron answered. "Where's Jenny?"

"She's on her way,"

"Jenny is Julie's twin," Cameron told Chase. "They're Steve's sisters. Uncle Herman is their dad."

Chase nodded, soaking in the information. Gage toddled to him and hand him a ball. "Hey, buddy," Chase smiled, taking the ball from him. "Is this yours?"

Gage nodded and then held his arms upward, indicating that he wanted to be lifted. Chase looked to Laura to see if it was okay to pick up the child. He set Gage in his lap and tossed the ball to him, which made Gage giggle. Gage handed it back to Chase who tossed it again. This time Gage dropped it, so Chase picked it up for him.

"He has you trained already," Steve noted. "Come to Daddy," he said, taking the child into his own arms.

Things suddenly became very loud in the kitchen and Cameron got up to check into the matter, taking Chase's hand to get him to follow her. She was thrilled to see that her grandparents Carrie and Earl had arrived with her older brother Darren.

Chase braced himself against the joyful noise of the reunion as Cameron greeted her grandparents and her brother, then pulled him closer to make introductions. He shook hands and made polite small talk before following the group back into the den. Steve and Laura immediately got up to offer Carrie and Earl their seats. Carrie took Gage in her arms and hugged him closely to her chest.

Chase stood to the side and watched all the commotion quietly, catching a snatch of a conversation here or there. More and more people filed into the house and more introductions were made. He gave up on keeping track of the names. He had never been around a group of people this loud. He had little to say, awed by this spectacle of family gathering. His own family had been extremely small in comparison, made up of just his parents and his maternal grandparents who had both died before he was ten years old. Holiday dinners had been very formal with everyone dressing for the evening. Only the best china and real silver utensils were used. His parents barely spoke to him or to each other. This home was much warmer and more welcoming than anything else he had ever known.

Soon, Ellen announced that their lunch was ready. "I want to thank everyone who has traveled to our home to celebrate our blessings," she said. "This family is the greatest gift of all."

"Here, here," Herman agreed. "David, would you say the blessing for us?"

"Everyone take the hand of the person next to you," David told them.

Chase took Cameron's hand and Julie's--or maybe it was Jenny's--and bowed his head as David said a short prayer of thanksgiving.

"Now let's eat!" Steve declared once the prayer was over.

"Gandma and Grandpa are first!" Nick reminded everyone.

Chase doubted than anyone in the room would have dared to step in front of the elderly couple.

After Carrie and Earl, the buffet line seemed to go in order of whoever was closest to the kitchen counter. Chase followed Cameron, taking a long divided plate, plastic utensils, and a paper napkin.

The amount of food in front of them was shocking. Someone had attempted to line things up with the appetizers first followed by salads, vegetables, casseroles, meats, and breads.

"Avoid the turkey," Cameron whispered. "Remember, Meggie cooked it."

"You're mean," Chase teased.

"I know," Cameron smiled. "Get the ham instead. Auntie Ursula got one of the honey-baked kind."

"Everything looks good," Chase told her. "I can't decide!"

"Get some of everything!" Cameron suggested.

"Impossible." He found himself following Cameron's lead, trusting her judgment of her family's cooking. Even getting a little of this and a little of that, his plate was soon heavy.

Cameron led him into the garage where they stopped to get drinks in plastic cups before Ursula waved to them and said, "Ally, you're with us!"

"Auntie Ursula, did you meet Chase yet?" Cameron asked, taking her place. She tried to hide how badly it was annoying her to see Chase's name card.

"No, dear, we haven't met," she turned to Chase. "I'm Ellen's sister, Ursula Olsen. This is my daughter Amy and my husband Ben."

"It's a pleasure," Chase smiled. He noted the name cards. _Allison_ and _Chase. _It became clearer to him why it Cameron's father thought it strange that they did not address each other by their first names.

"Amy, what grade are you in this year?" Cameron asked.

"Sixth," Amy answered, barely looking up from her plate.

"Are you making good grades?"

"Uh-huh."

Cameron met Chase's eyes and shrugged. Preteens were not the easiest people to engage in conversation.

In a few moments, Meggie and Nick also joined them.

"So, Robert, it's great to finally meet you," Meggie said.

"You too," Chase said, puzzled by the way she addressed him.

"Robert, you didn't get any of my turkey!" Meggie scolded, taking inventory of his plate.

"We ate that first," Cameron lied. "Tradition and all."

"How was it?" Meggie asked. "I got the recipe from Emeril when he was on Martha's show."

"Words can't do your cooking justice, Megan." Cameron replied. She was infuriated that her sister had arranged the silly name cards just so they would have to sit together just so that she could call Chase by his first name. "Aren't we lucky you have time to watch Martha!"

Chase watched them warily. When Cameron's tone was this snippy, she was close to exploding.

"Aren't you sweet?" Meggie asked, her words dripping with sarcasm.

Chase dared to make eye contact with Nick who just shrugged and focused on eating some of his wife's oversized, tough turkey. He saw the sour face Nick made and made a mental note to thank Cameron for protecting him from offending foul.

"Everything is so good," Ben commented, shoveling food into his mouth.

"Did you make these, Meggie?" Ursula asked, holding up her name card. "They're very pretty."

"Thank you, Auntie." Meggie gushed. "I only wish Allison had told me Robert's first name. I feel so foolish."

Cameron rolled her eyes. "Drama queen," she muttered, taking a bite of broccoli, cheese, and rice casserole.

"It's no problem," Chase told her quickly, hoping to keep Meggie from replying to Cameron.

"Could you pass the salt, _Robert_?" Cameron asked icily.

"Sure, _Allison_." Chase said, handing her the shaker of salt that had been within her own reach.

"Thank you, _Robert_."

"You're welcome, _Allison_." Chase could play her game too, though he had no idea why Cameron was snapping at him when she was mad at her sister.

And so the rest of the meal went, even when Cameron's parents joined their table. They were _Robert_ and _Allison_ for the duration.

Eventually, the drowsiness induced by overeating made the noise level fall to a low hum.

"I'm going to die," Chase told Cameron, pushing his plate forward just a bit. He put one hand on his stomach and found himself pondering the value of pants with elastic waistbands. He might have to invest in a pair for next year.

"I'm going to explode," Cameron was also over-full. She leaned over to put her head on his shoulder.

"At least we'll die happy and together," Chase sighed. He was uncomfortable and just a little sick to his stomach, but the Thanksgiving feast had been a wonderful new experience.

"Cause of death: gluttony," Cameron said lazily.

"It's one of the deadly ones," Chase joked.

"I can see why."

Before Chase could respond, Nick stood up and said, "Can I have everyone's attention please?" Once satisfied that he had the room's undivided attention, he reached his hand out to help Meggie to her feet. "Meggie and I have an announcement." They paused for a moment to gaze lovingly into one another's eyes, making Cameron's skin crawl. "We're going to have a baby!"

The ruckus of shouts, squeals, and applause was deafening in the closed garage. Chase thought his head might explode for a moment, but he politely clapped along with the other guests. Ellen was by her daughter's side in a moment, hugging her and asking about the due date.

Cameron stood and gave her sister a small hug, softly said, "That's great, Meggie," and then gathered her plate and walked back to the kitchen while Meggie accepted message after message of congratulations.

Taking his cue from Cameron, Chase also gathered his plate and walked into the kitchen where he discarded it. He found that she was standing over the sink, starting to wash the numerous utensils that had been used to serve the food.

"Cameron?" he called, approaching her.

"Don't you mean, _Allison_?" she snapped.

"I thought that was for your sister's benefit." He took a dishtowel from a stack near the sink and started drying the items Cameron had unceremoniously flung into the plastic strainer next to the basin.

She said nothing. They continued to wash and dry dishes for a few minutes with only the noise from the garage breaking the silence.

"What's the matter?" Chase prodded when they had finished cleaning every knife, fork, spoon, and spatula.

"Nothing," Cameron answered softly, starting to put various covers back on casserole dishes and pots.

Chase suddenly grabbed her, hugging her tightly. "What's the matter?" he repeated. "Talk to me."

"Why should I?" she asked.

"Because," Chase answered, looking for the right way to express himself. "You're hurting and I want to help."

Cameron pulled away from him, looked into his eyes, and shook her head. "I could say the same thing to you. What good would it do?" She ran away from him to the bedroom they shared.

Chase followed, grateful to find that she had not locked the door. He discovered Cameron lying on her stomach across the bed, holding a pillow while tears streamed down her cheeks.

He closed the door behind him, locked it, then kneeled on the floor next to the bed so that he would be eye level with her. "Why are you crying?" he asked in a gentle voice.

She knew her reasons for not wanting to tell Chase the truth. It was partly because he was so evasive about his own family and partly because she was embarrassed. Her resolve to keep her feelings private faded as she stared into the blue eyes of the man kneeling in front her, beseeching her to spill her darkest secrets. "I'm jealous," she admitted.

"Why?" Chase asked.

Cameron frowned, sat up, and patted the bed next to her to indicate that Chase should sit with her. "She has my life."

Chase put his arm around her shoulders. "What do you mean?"

"My baby sister is pregnant. I'm the one who should be pregnant. She's married to a nice--okay, she's married to a pompous jerk--but she's _married_ and she's _pregnant_ and that's what I wanted from life, Chase. I want to be a mom."

"It's not too late," Chase reminded her. "You're only thirty--"

She glared at him.

"Something," he finished with a crooked smile. "You can still have a baby. As many as you want," he promised. "You're young and healthy and there's plenty of time."

"It's easy for you to say. Once a woman hits thirty-five…" her voice trailed off. Despite knowing that many women had perfectly healthy children in their late thirties and beyond, she also knew that risks increased with the mother's age.

"I thought you wanted a career," Chase said. It was not an argument, but a bewildered reaction to the revelation she had made.

"I have a career," Cameron stated with all the enthusiasm of making an appointment with a dentist. "I want more than that."

Chase looked down, wondering if this was her way of telling him that she wanted to move on or if there was a chance she might want to move forward with him. He encouraged himself with a reminder that she had said she was happy. "Do you…" he paused, insecure. He decided he might as well find out the truth one way or another. There was no sense in either of them being strung along if it was going to end. "Do you want more… with me?"

Cameron felt fresh tears in her eyes. The past year had shown her that Chase was so much more than she had assumed. He was precise as a surgeon, keen as a diagnostician, and confident as an intensivest. He was gentle when he held a newborn baby and tough when he dealt with an argumentative patient. But that was just Chase the doctor. Chase the man had been strong when his life had been turned upside down by an unjust firing. He was forgiving when she hurt him. He was passionate when he held her. He was patient when he carried her purse while she tried on shoes at the mall. He was goofy when she needed to laugh and quiet when she needed to talk. More so, she knew he actually listened when she spoke. And there was part of him that she knew had been shattered long ago, though she had no idea why, and part that she herself had shattered with her rejections. And, yet, he was _there,_ right beside her, offering her a piece of his closely guarded heart. She did not have to consider her answer. "I do."

The smile that met her reply lit Chase's face and eyes, "Really?" he asked, brushing away the tears from her cheeks.

"Yes," Cameron answered earnestly. "I want everything with you."

"Really?" Chase repeated, astounded by this admission.

Cameron laughed. "Really."

"So you--" there was a question in his voice.

"Love you," Cameron answered, then found herself enveloped in his arms.

"I love you too," Chase responded, his heart swelling with joy.

"Let's have a baby," Cameron suggested eagerly.

"Are you sure?" Chase asked. Somehow it came as little surprise to him that she could make such a suggestion on the spur of the moment. Her spontaneous ideas had started this relationship in the first place.

"I'm sure. And you're not saying _no_," she pointed out.

"Okay," Chase consented, enamored with the idea of creating a life, and a family, with this vibrant woman.

Cameron laughed. "_Okay_? You just met my family. Are you sure you want to go swimming in that gene pool?"

"I love your family!" Chase told her. "They're fantastic. Even Uncle Herman with the spot on his leg." He made a disgusted face which made Cameron laugh more heartily.

"They're crazy," Cameron shook her head. "Certifiable. They're loud and obnoxious and…"

"Amazing," Chase interrupted. "They love each other. Everyone loves everyone else. Even Nick. And they take care of each other and look after each other and treat each other with respect. No one even told Meggie her turkey was lousy because they all love her anyway. And they're loud because they're all talking at the same time, not because they're screaming." His enthusiasm fell as he mentally compared Cameron's family to his own. "But if we're talking about the gene pool…"

"What?" Cameron asked, seeing how sad Chase had become.

"I probably shouldn't have kids."

"You? Mr. Handsome Doctor? Son of a doctor. I think your genes are just fine," she said cheerily. "You worry too much."

Chase watched her silently for a moment. Her countenance was bright and her eyes were sparkling with excitement. How could he take that away from her? But how could he not tell her the truth? "My mother."

Sure enough, a dark cloud seemed to roll over their heads and Cameron lost her glow. She held her tongue, afraid of saying something that would make Chase take his family secrets back to their hiding place.

"She was an alcoholic," Chase revealed, keeping his eyes averted, afraid that the truth would change everything.

"Oh," Cameron said, her mind quickly processing all the signs that Chase had grown up with an addict. So many of the things that had puzzled her through the years came into sharp focus under this new light.

"Please don't make me talk about it," Chase begged. "I just want you to know what you're getting into."

Her stomach did flip-flops. She wanted Chase to talk to her so that she could help him work through the pain he still carried, but she did not want to force him to talk if that would succeed only in making his pain worse. "Please just tell me one thing," she plead.

Chase looked up and met her gaze. It was kind, not harsh or judgmental.

"Did she hurt you?"

He fought the urge to look away from her, telling himself he had to trust her. "Yes," he answered.

Her tears started falling again as she studied him. "I'm sorry," she said, pulling him to her in a hug. Her chest felt as though someone had lit a fire within her. She hated the idea of anyone hurting Chase. She wanted to protect him in a way his father had failed to do and lamented that she was too late. She wanted to ask a million questions: _How? How often? Did you tell anyone? Did your father know? Did anyone help you?_ But she kept them to herself, knowing how protective he was of his painful secret. Maybe, with time, she could coax him into revealing more about his past, but she was not going to push him today.

"It's okay," Chase told her, unnerved by her reaction. He had not intended to make her cry. "I'm sorry."

"For what?" Cameron asked, letting him go so she could watch his expressions. When he had asked her for a relationship instead of sex, she had realized that Chase wore his heart for her to see, if only she would take the time to look.

"I didn't mean to upset you."

"Oh, Chase," she cried. "I'd change it if I could. I'd make it so that you never got hurt."

"It's okay," he assured her. "She didn't mean to."

There were a dozen things Cameron wanted to say to him. She wanted to tell him that it was not okay. But she did not want to interrupt him.

"I don't want to turn into her or predestine a baby to be like her."

"Just because your mom was an alcoholic, it doesn't mean you will be or that our baby will be."

"I know it's not certain, but it's possible and you deserve to know that."

"So, you'll be careful, just like you already are." She knew from their time together that he was only a social drinker and she had never seen him intoxicated. "All we can do is educate our baby about drugs and alcohol and sex and driving too fast and touching a hot stove and all the other dangers out there. We can't make his decisions for him. We can give him a solid foundation though."

"You think we'll have a boy?" Chase beamed, picturing a little boy with Cameron's eyes and his nose.

"You want a boy?" She asked, imaging him holding a child of their very own like he had held Gage.

"I'd love a boy _or_ a girl," Chase said, envisioning a tiny daughter wrapped in a pink blanket. "But, I want you to marry me first." Two could play at spontaneous.

Cameron giggled and ruffled his hair. "You're so Catholic."

"I don't want our baby to come into the world without being married first. I know, it's old-fashioned, but it would mean everything to me to be your husband before I'm a father."

"Let's go to Vegas!" Cameron urged. "We can book a flight and head out tomorrow and be married by nightfall." She had done the big wedding before with Michael, wanting everything to be perfect. Having been married once, she knew it was the day to day things after the ceremony that mattered. The cake and flowers and dress were all folly.

"Are you serious?" Chase asked her, overwhelmed.

"I've never been more serious about anything in my life. We make each other happy. We've seen each other's faults, but we want to be together anyway. I'm not naïve like I was when I married Michael. We have all the time in the world, but there's no point in wasting it! I know who I am and what I want. I want you, Robert Chase."

Chase pulled his I-phone out of his pocket.

"What are you doing?" Cameron asked.

"Booking our flight."

XOXOXOXOXOX


	4. Viva Las Vegas

XOXOXOXOXOXOX

"I didn't know Jon Bon Jovi and Lorezo Lamas were married," Chase mused, scrutinizing the sign in front of the Graceland Wedding Chapel declaring that the two celebrities _were married here._ "Is that even legal in Nevada?"

Cameron had not noticed the sign until Chase drew her attention to it. "I don't think it means to each other."

"But that's what it says," Chase read the sign aloud. "_Jon Bon Jovi and Lorenzo Lamas were married here_."

"Jon Bon Jovi married his high school sweetheart and they're still together," Cameron assured him.

"It frightens me that you know that," Chase told her, looking deadly serious.

"Want to call off the marriage?" Cameron teased.

Chase pretended to consider his options. "I can live with it."

"They sponsored a free health clinic for needy families locally. I volunteered there," Cameron explained.

"That's incredible!"

"Yeah, it's really helped a lot of people."

"I mean that you volunteered," he clarified. "I love your kind heart." He had worked the word _love _into their conversations frequently since they had decided to make the trip to Vegas. He had also done the honorable thing and asked the Parkers if they approved of his proposal.

David and Ellen had been thrilled with the news and lavished congratulations upon the couple, only wanting to know why they had not told the whole family while they were gathered. Ellen had immediately jumped to the conclusion that Cameron had left the lunch upset because she did not want to steal Megan's spotlight by announcing her impending engagement. Cameron let her believe that the engagement had "unofficially" happened earlier rather than having her question the wisdom of the hasty life-altering decision. While Ellen was disappointed that her daughter would not be spending the entire week with them, she understood Cameron's desire to avoid another big wedding and wished them the best before they boarded the plane bound for Nevada.

A couple dressed in Hawaiian themed clothes came out of the front door as Chase and Cameron made their way over the bridge just outside the chapel. The bride was actually wearing a grass skirt. The few guests who followed the couple outside all wore floral shirts.

"Congratulations," Chase said politely as the group passed.

"That is so tacky," Cameron commented, leaning close to her fiancé's ear, as they made their way into the chapel.

"We reserved something called _Concert with the King,_ opting for it over the Dueling Elvises, Elvi, whatever. What did you expect?" Chase asked, his heart light with excitement. They had spent a couple of hours online the night before to find the best place for a quick wedding and had even filled out their license application electronically to speed along that requirement.

An Elvis impersonator wearing a gold lame jacket and matching trousers greeted them soon after they entered the chapel.

"It's almost 7:00, you must be Doctor and the future Mrs. Chase!"

"She's a doctor too," Chase told the man. "Robert Chase, nice to meet you," he extended his hand.

"Elvis Presley, at your service," the impersonator said with a thick Southern drawl. "If you and the little lady will kindly follow me."

Cameron was surprisingly unflustered by being referred to as _the little lady_.

"You've got your license ready?" Elvis asked.

"Yes," Cameron answered, reaching into her purse for the papers.

"Rings?"

"We were going to buy some later," Chase told him. They had not really had time to go jewelry shopping between the flight and rushing to Marriage Bureau to get the document waiting for them.

"Well, we happen to have a fine assortment of beautiful rings for both men and women!" Elvis stated, leading them to a glass counter filled with a wide assortment of styles. "Rest assured these are quality products, as good as you would find at any upscale jewelry store."

Cameron looked longingly at the rings. "It would be nice to have a ring for the ceremony," she sighed.

"Pick one," Chase told her. "Whichever one you want."

"Really?"

"You know I'm going to buy you a ring. If there's one you like here, it's yours."

Cameron looked at the array of stones, ranging from tiny chips of diamonds to multi-carat rocks.

"Do you like solitaires or clusters?" Elvis asked.

"Solitaires," Cameron answered. Her last engagement ring had been a small cluster of stones, more than Michael could really afford with his medical bills.

"Only the best for this little lady," Elvis nodded. He reached in and pulled out one of the largest solitaires in the collection. It was at least three carats in a teardrop shape.

"Oh, no," Cameron said waving it away.

"He's a doctor!" Elvis reminded her. "He can afford it."

"She's a doctor too!" Chase said again.

"No, it's not that," Cameron said. "That's just _tacky_!" The large ring may have cost thousands of dollars but the size made it look like cheap costume jewelry in her opinion. "I'm thinking more like a one carat."

Elvis replaced the gargantuan stone and offered a single carat round diamond.

Cameron put it on her hand and found that it too was too large for her delicate fingers. "No, it's still too big."

"What about the one that was next to it?" Chase asked, pointing out the ring. It was three-quarters of a carat in an emerald cut.

Elvis offered it to Cameron.

"It's perfect!" she exclaimed.

"You'll need bands," Elvis reminded them. "How about a jeweled band for you, Dr. Chase?"

"No thank you," Chase answered. "Solid gold. I don't want anything too fancy."

"But she's a doctor. She can afford it!" Elvis stated.

"It's not about the money," Chase told him irritably. "Neither of us need fancy rings to know we love each other." He knew from his parents' marriage that extravagant rings did not make the vows any stronger.

They picked a set of gold bands that would compliment the engagement ring and charged $4500 on Chase's Visa while Elvis smiled.

"Now, you weren't planning to wear those clothes, were you?" Elvis asked, looking at their attire with disdain. "For an extra $100, we can provide you with a beautiful dress and a suit fit for a King."

Chase looked to Cameron. He could tell from the sparkle in her eye that she was intrigued.

"I guess a dress would be nice," she said, looking down at the coral colored pantsuit she was wearing. She certainly had not packed anything suitable for a wedding before they left New Jersey.

"Fabulous!" Elvis exclaimed. "Priscilla!" he bellowed.

A young lady with very large black hair arrived, smiling sweetly.

"Show the future Mrs. Dr. Chase our assortment of gowns while the good doctor and I find something to fit a man of his stature."

Cameron followed Priscilla and Chase followed Elvis wondering if more people fell for the sales pitch because it was presented by The King.

The next time they saw each other, Chase was standing before the alter dressed in black leather pants with a matching jacket, having gone with the '68 Comeback Special look. Cameron was wearing a simple ivory sleeveless wedding gown that was cut high in the front and low in the back. Her hair, however, rivaled Priscilla's in both height and volume while loose rings framed her lovely face. She held a tiny bouquet of red roses and baby's breath.

Both held back jubilant laughter as Elvis escorted Cameron down the aisle while "Burning Love" blared from the speakers. Chase was waiting for her with a fifty-dollar rent-a-minister.

"Who gives this _Hard Headed Woman_ to this _Lonely Man_?" The minister asked solemnly.

"I do," Elvis said, in a near perfect imitation of the original. "_It's Now or Never_," he warned Chase.

Chase and Cameron joined hands, both snickering at the song titles being worked into the ceremony.

"Allison Cameron, do you take Robert Chase to be your lawfully wedded husband? Do you promise to be _Steadfast, Loyal and True For the Good Times_ and the bad?"

"Oh, wow!" Cameron gasp, the reality of the vow hitting her. There was Chase, standing before her, looking both ridiculous and incredibly sexy, his eyes full of hope and love. Nothing had ever felt more right to her and her heart swelled in her chest as she said, "I do."

"Robert Chase, do you take Allison Cameron to be your lawfully wedded wife? Do you promise to _Take Good Care of Her _and be _Steadfast Loyal and True For the Good Times_ and the bad?"

Chase focused on Cameron's face, beautifully glowing with a pure happiness that reminded him of sunshine dancing across the ocean. Everything he had longed for was within his grasp--a wife, a family, a home full of love. Despite the silliness of vows made from song titles, he believed every word. He did want to take care of her and be steadfast, loyal, and true no matter what came their way. He was not sure he was even still breathing as he said, "I do."

"Allison, repeat after me," the minister directed.

Cameron found herself repeating the minister, declaring, "I, Allison, _Can't Help Falling in Love_ with you, Robert. _I Want You, I Need You, I Love You. _I'll spend my whole life _Loving You. You'll Never Walk Alone."_

At the minister's direction, Chase also repeated the vows woven from Elvis's catalogue. "I, Robert, _Can't Help Falling in Love_, with you, Allison. _I Want You, I Need You, I Love You. _I'll spend my whole life _Loving You. You'll Never Walk Alone."_

They exchanged rings, each with the traditional, "With this ring, I thee wed."

"By the power invested in me by the state of Nevada, I now pronounce you husband and wife. You may kiss the bride."

The newly married couple kissed passionately while Elvis and Priscilla applauded. Then Elvis picked up the guitar that had been lying on the first pew and began their private concert. They had been able to request four songs with their wedding package, so they chose _I Can't Help Falling in Love, Loving You, She Wears My Ring_, and _Love Me Tender_. _Viva Las Vegas _was a given in any of the packages. By the time Elvis got into the last song, Chase and Cameron were singing along, "Viva, viva, Las Vegas!"

After posing for some photographs, they had to change back into their regular clothes. It did not take Chase quite as long to rid himself of the rented leather suit as it took Cameron to get out of her wedding gown and deflate her hair. He tipped the minister, Priscilla, and even Elvis.

He saw that Priscilla's real name was Jo Ann Bradford, but was shocked to see the name Elvis Presley as a witness to his wedding. Afraid that the document might not be legal, Chase found Elvis in the business office. "Don't you have to put your real name?" he asked.

"That is my real name," Elvis said, looking up from the computer. "I changed it for the gig."

Chase shook his head, realizing that some people too fandom a little too seriously.

"Your wedding video will be online in about an hour if there's anyone you want to send it to who couldn't make it to the wedding," Elvis said. He gave Chase a piece of paper with a url. "Just send out that link to your friends and family."

"Thanks," Chase said, sticking the paper into his pocket.

"We'll also upload your photos digitally so that you can pick out which ones you'd like to order." He reached for something that had just finished printing. "Until then, here are some complimentary wallet size prints so that you can tell everyone you meet about your beautiful wedding here at the beautiful Graceland Wedding Chapel." Elvis even trimmed the photos before handing them to Chase.

"Thanks," Chase said again. "I'm sure Camer--" he paused. Was she still _Cameron_ now that they were married? He tried again, "I'm sure _Allis_--" Something still was not quite right. He sighed. "I'm sure Mrs. Chase will be thrilled to have these. We'll be in touch about a proper order." He nodded to Elvis and left to find his wife.

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOX

Much to Chase's relief, Cameron had decided that she would still use the name _Cameron_ as long as they worked at PPTH, though she intended to hyphenate her name for legal documents and eventually drop the Cameron if she ever moved to another hospital. They decided it would be less confusing for everyone if there was only one Dr. Chase being paged over the intercom at PPTH. However, their next place of employment, if they continued to work at the same hospital, would have to deal with two Dr. Chase's at one time.

"So what if I'm still calling you _Cameron_ when we're eighty?" Chase asked, hands behind his head as he rested comfortably on vibrant red silk sheets in a heart shaped bed. "Your dad thinks it's weird for me to call you that, you know."

"It doesn't matter if anyone understands," she said, gently tracing circles on her husband's bare chest. "You'll always be _Chase_ to me and I'll always be _Cameron_ to you."

"We can still work in our given names every once in a while," Chase suggested. "You know, for the kids' sake." He wondered what it would be like growing up in a household where Mom referred to Dad by his last name and Dad referred to Mom by her previous last name.

"Kids?" Cameron asked, starting to nibble on Chase's shoulder.

"Being an only child isn't that great," Chase told her. "It's lonely."

"We'll have a house full of kids, then," Cameron promised. "And, Chase, I promise, you'll never be lonely again."

At that moment, Chase was sure that he was the luckiest man in the world. "I love you, Allison."

"I love you too, Robert."

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOX

House settled at his desk, having successfully sent the brood of potential fellows on missions to occupy their time and get them out of his hair. He saw a new mail message exhibited at the bottom of his computer screen.

There were several spam messages for male enhancement products, along with a memo from Cuddy. But the message that caught his attention was from someone unexpected: Dr. Robert Chase. The message title said, "You are cordially invited."

Curiosity piqued, House followed the url. When he realized what he was witnessing, he yelled across the room, "Hey, Foreman, get your ass in here!"

Foreman strolled to House's desk and stood behind him watching his former coworkers exchange vows. "They didn't!" he said.

"I believe they did," House replied, shaking his head as he watched leather-clad Chase exchange vows with high-haired Cameron. "I believe they did."

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOX

AN: Graceland Wedding Chapel is real and it really did display that sign for a while. I don't know if the sign is still there. Another disclaimer: I don't own GWC or Elvis either.

I appreciate all comments!


End file.
